Welcome to GeoHab 2027
On behalf of the local organising committee, we warmly invite you to join us at GeoHab 2027, to be held in the beautiful Bay of Islands, New Zealand from 3–6 May 2027.
Express Your InterestGeoHab in New Zealand
The 2027 Conference Logo
"Ko te tohorā te kaiārahi, ko te aihe te kaititiro, ko te whai to kaitiaki; ko te wai to oranga o te katoa."
"The whale is the leader, the dolphin the observer, the stingray the guardian; the waters are the source of life for all."
This landscape represents an integrated Māori knowledge system in which environmental observations, resource stewardship, spiritual values, and social governance were inseparable. Recognition and protection of these interconnected values are fundamental to maintaining the cultural integrity, ecological health, and ancestral significance of the Paihia coastal environment for present and future generations.
"The stingray is the guardian of the shallows, the dolphin the observer of the sea, the whale the leader of the deep; the fish are the descendants that follow their pathways, while the waters and the aquatic plants are the heartbeat of the land. It is for the people to care for them, for the elders to provide guidance, and for knowledge to unite the sacred and the everyday."
Conference Whakatauiki (Proverb)
"Ko te wai te oranga o te katoa"
"The waters are the source of life for all"
The logo and information above was authored by Niketi Toataua and Te Waka Toataua, with consultation from Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Manu
Objectives
The main objectives of the conference are to:
- Bring together scientists and stakeholders to share their experiences and expertise about topics related to marine habitat mapping
- Support government marine spatial planning, sustainable ocean management and decision-making, and underpin the design of marine protected areas
- Disseminate scientific research programs aimed at generating knowledge of benthic ecosystems and seafloor geology
- Showcase living and non-living seabed resource assessments for economic and management purposes
Session Themes
The conference sessions will be defined based on the abstracts received. Anticipated themes include:
- Climate change effects on marine habitats
- Coastal and shallow-water habitats
- Continental shelf & slope habitats
- Deep-sea habitats
- Deep-sea mining
- Habitat mapping for marine restoration
- Human impacts on marine habitats
- Management & communication
- Mapping programs, datasets, efforts & partnerships
- New approaches & technologies
- Participatory mapping, citizen science & outreach
- Polar & sub-polar environments
- Urban sea systems
About GeoHab
GeoHab (Marine Geological and Biological Habitat Mapping) is an international association of marine scientists studying biophysical (i.e., geologic and oceanographic) indicators of benthic habitats and ecosystems as proxies for biological communities and species diversity.
The main goals of GeoHab scientists are:
- to support government spatial marine planning, sustainable ocean management, and decision making;
- to support and underpin the design of marine protected areas (MPAs);
- to conduct scientific research programs aimed at generating knowledge of benthic ecosystems and seafloor geology;
- to conduct living and non-living seabed resource assessments for economic and management purposes, including the design of fishing reserves.
Express Your Interest for GeoHab 2027 Below
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